Foundry Noise Induced Hearing loss Leads to Payout

foundry

Noise Induced Hearing Loss in the Steel Industry

 
 
Noise induced hearing loss is prevalent amongst steel and metal workers. The noise from the furnaces, presses and cranes etc certainly exceed safe limits and whilst some protection was afforded in the 1980’s in many instances the hearing protection was not adequate.
In many cases employers did little to ensure the safety of their employees and often simply provided an occasional pair of ear plugs, without training, guidance or assessing their suitability.

‘Mr S’ from Manchester spent much of his early life working in a foundry. He was continuously and excessively exposed to noise throughout his shift from the machinery in the foundry.  He was never provided with hearing protection, or adequate training regarding the importance of protective gear.

Personal protective equipment in the form of heavy duty hearing protection is imperative for people working in foundries.

Unfortunately due to his hearing not being adequately protected, in what was a highly noisy environment, he has lost some hearing at certain frequencies. This makes watching TV difficult and he often misses parts of conversations with family and friends.

Treadstone Law took up his case and were able to secure a £5000 compensation payment from his former employers.

Employers of people in these workplaces must abide by the Control of Noise at Work Regulations to ensure that their staff are kept safe from the dangers of industrial hearing loss.

The Health and Safety Executive has recognised that these workplaces do create a risk of noise induced hearing loss, so employers are already on notice that they must act properly to protect their workers.

If you worked in this industry and have been affected by hearing loss or know someone who has then fill out the form below and one of our specialist solicitors will contact you.